The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP)
has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently address Nigerians over the
controversy on the ownership of funds discovered by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement by its executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni
on Sunday SERAP said the fight against corruption cannot be won
without some
level of transparency and accountability in the real identities of those
claiming recovered cash.
According to the organization, “Democracy abhors secrecy,
and for Nigerians to be able to hold elected leaders accountable, they must
have access to information such as on the real identities of those behind the
Ikoyi cash haul. This transparency is fundamental to the operation of the
government’s whistle-blower policy, and inextricably rooted in the notions of
good governance and the rule of law under the 1999 Nigerian constitution (as
amended).”
The statement read in part: “No good comes from secrecy
in governance, as officials who have become accustomed to operating without
accountability are loath to relinquish the power that comes from conducting
their business without public scrutiny.
When public authorities resist efforts
to shine a light on their activities, it gives the impression that there is
something to hide. It’s counter-productive to overstate national security based
secrecy needs, as secrecy encourages poorly informed and under-vetted
decision-making.”
“Public scrutiny is a prerequisite for changing harmful,
entrenched practices. Rather than operating the whistle-blowers policy as
hidden, mysterious mechanism at the far edge of democracy, this government
should make the operation of policy more transparent and accessible to the
public.
Both transparency and accountability are necessary to uphold the rights
of victims of corruption and ensure that suspected perpetrators are held to
account. The ‘sky will not fall’ if the true identities of those behind the
Ikoyi cash haul are revealed.”
“It’s clear that as
the EFCC continues to uncover more suspected looted or ill-gotten cash, those
blowing the whistle will need greater level of protection. But without
outlawing retaliation and attacks against whistle-blowers, and taking a firm
stance on protecting them, the incentive of bounty rewards would be negated, as
potential whistle-blowers may be discouraged from performing invaluable public
interest service.”
“It shouldn’t be the case that the government knows the
risks of whistle-blowing and yet fails to provide the needed legal protection
against retaliation and attacks, regardless of whether whistle-blowers are
entitled to bounties.”
“The policy of giving whistle-blowers some percentage of
recovered loot would seem to be a game changer in the fight against corruption
but this government now has to squarely address the significant risks that
those who blow the whistle face by urgently working with the National Assembly
to ensure the necessary legal backing that would ensure protection against
reprisals and attacks.”
“The government should ensure that the National Assembly
expedites the process of passing the Whistle-Blower Bill, as ensuring that the
bill is passed without further delay would recognize the necessity of
whistleblowers and the value they add to the anti-corruption fight by reporting
otherwise unknown corruption-related information. It would also ensure that
whistle-blowers are fully protected from any retaliation and attacks they may
experience, and that the government fully appreciates the information they
provide.”
“Continuing delay in the passing of the Whistle-Blower Bill
would have a chilling effect on potential whistleblowers and hinder the public’s
ability to learn about the kind of cash haul found in Ikoyi and elsewhere
across the country. It’s also contrary to Article 33 of the UN Convention on
Corruption, which Nigeria has ratified.
The convention obligates the government
to put in place appropriate measures to provide protection against any
unjustified treatment for any person who reports in good faith and on
reasonable grounds to the competent authorities any facts concerning offences
established in accordance with the convention.”
This story was first published on Ynaija
